Dog Park

ARTICLES ABOUT DOG PARK BY DATE - PAGE 2

Upper Macungie Township will host a 5K run, 1 mile walk at the Lone Lane Park from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 7, the township's website said. The Lone Lane Park is located at 30 Lone Lane, Allentown. Proceeds will benefit park and recreation programs in the township, especially the new dog park located at the Upper Macungie Route 100 Park, the web site said. For information about the race, sponsorship opportunities or to register, visit the Upper Macungie Township website at http://www.uppermac.org.

Allen Township Supervisors meet Thursday, July 12 to discuss official township business. Items on the agenda include continued discussion on an Open Space Referendum, Savage Road dog park/trail extension, and open space or grant application options for Lehigh River properties. The board meets at 7 p.m.

The momentum to bring a skate park to Emmaus keeps on rolling. Borough Council is in the early stages of negotiations for land that could be home for skateboarders, bike riders, in-line skaters and even scooter riders, Borough Manager Shane Pepe said during Monday's council meeting. "It is at the top of council's interest level," he said. The nonprofit Emmaus Action Sports Association for more than a year has been advocating for a park in the borough. Ray Gurz, a professional skateboarder and liaison for EASA, approached Borough Council Monday to gauge its interest in continuing to pursue the space.

After five years of changing Allentown's recreational landscape, sometimes igniting controversy, the city director of parks and recreation has resigned to head west. Greg A. Weitzel, whose last day will be May 11, has accepted a similar position in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The city is searching for his replacement. "It was a challenge that I couldn't turn down," Weitzel said on his impending move. "I'm proud of what we have accomplished in Allentown. The parks are the crown jewel — the best thing Allentown has going for it — and I urge everyone to continue to protect and preserve them.

Residents of the Parkland region can expect a slew of improvements to parks and playgrounds in the next few months. By the end of the summer, a new playground will rise in North Whitehall Municipal Park, replacing the older metal structure at 3256 Levans Road. "The old stuff will be torn out and we will add a new structure and a walking path to make it more accessible," said North Whitehall Township Manager Jeff Bartlett, adding that the park is partially funded by a grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Now dog owners can run their dogs at the Upper Macungie park on Route 100. About three-quarters of an acre has been fenced for off-leash run and play at the Route 100 Park, also known as the Upper Macungie Park located at 1625 North Route 100 in Fogelsville. The Upper Macungie Township Spokeswoman Valery Bosky said local Girl Scouts troops have been involved in creating the park and raising money. About $17,000 is needed to complete the project, and the park includes about 156 acres.

A dog may be man's best friend but that doesn't mean it wouldn't appreciate a friend with a little more fur every once in a while. That's why a push is under way to open a dog park in Lower Macungie Township. Dog parks have become the fastest-growing segment of city parks, according to a study released Dec. 8 by the nonprofit Trust for Public Land. Perkasie, Nazareth and Bethlehem are among regional municipalities that have dog parks. There's one in the planning stages in Upper Macungie Township.

Tom Bancroft isn't used to surprises. So when longtime friend Kitty Meyer told him about a benefit being planned to help fray his final expenses, he didn't know what to say. "This was the last thing I was worried about — was leaving my family with bills from me," said Bancroft, 54, who has stage IV melanoma. Bancroft, a disc jockey and owner of The Music Medic Mobile Disc Jockey, said he has a little savings and no insurance. "I was really worried about the finances.

LEHIGH COUNTY LEHIGH CARBON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, 4525 Education Park Drive, Schnecksville, will be the site of a Veterans Resource Expo 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Hosted by U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-15th District, the event will be held in the Community Services Center in Rooms 201 and 203. The event will educate veterans, especially those recently returning from service in Iraq or Afghanistan, about the benefits — education, disability, compensation and other applicable entitlements — available through government agencies.

The dogs of Allentown need a safe place to play, but they need votes from their human friends. Allentown is one of 15 finalists in the PetSafe Bark For Your Park contest and has a chance to win $100,000 for a dog park. More than 500 cities across the country entered the contest. The Department of Parks and Recreation put together a two-minute video, and more than 40 city residents and their dogs were featured in it. The department was able to showcase the required criteria for the contest: community support for a dog park, the impact that a dog park would have and the master plan and location for a dog park.